Practically every product that results from the efforts of generic design or specialized design, such as architectural, electrical and mechanical design, involves the rendering of design drawings. In the last twenty years, nearly all of such drawings have been rendered using a computer aided design (CAD) system with a CAD software program. Typical CAD systems take the form of high-speed workstations or desktop computers that use CAD design software and input devices. These CAD systems generate output in the form of a printed design drawing or an electronic file format that can provide input to a computer aided manufacturing system (CAM).
Since the advent of computerized drawings, numerous computer aided design (CAD) programs have been developed. The translation of data files created by a first computer aided design (CAD) program into one or more data files readable by a second CAD program proves to be a difficult task. However, because of the relatively large number of diverse and competing CAD programs that are available, it is frequently the case that such translations need to be made. A number of underlying reasons exist for performing such translations, including execution of engineering projects that require the services of a main contractor using a first CAD program and a subcontractor using a second CAD program.
A presently existing technique for translating drawings involves the use of a Document eXchange Format file (DXF file). DXF files comprise an AutoCAD 2-D graphics file format. Numerous CAD systems are provided with the capability to import and export the DXF file format for graphics interchange, in the form “filename.dxf”. The DXF file format enables relatively simple files to be saved in DXF format via a first CAD program, and then read via a second CAD program. The DXF file format results in a generally fair translation accuracy where the files are not relatively complex. However, for typically involved applications, DXF file format does not provide a complete solution for translating files.
Accordingly, there exists a present need for an apparatus and method that enables translation of CAD files between at least two unique CAD file types, such as from a first CAD file type into a second CAD file type.